The present invention relates to an apparatus for inputting classification information for postal, cargo, home delivery, and internal office delivery matter, etc.
Generally, a zip code is written at a predetermined position on a postal matter, for automatic classification by optically reading this code using an optical character reader. In practice, the large classification regarding the state is first performed and thereafter the middle classification with respect to the city in that state, the small classification relative to the town in that city, and the like are sequentially executed. In other words, each region is represented like a tree consisting of a plurality of stages of different levels. Therefore, the classification system has been developed in which the zip code is first read by the optical character reader and then the classification information such as a zip code is printed as a bar code on the postal matter. The middle and the following classifications are executed based on the read out bar code, thereby improving the efficiency of the classification process and lowering the cost of classification.
In such a system, for the postal matter on which the zip code was written and the zip code was read by the optical character reader, this read zip code or the information relative thereto is also printed as a bar code. When, however, no zip code is written on the postal matter or the zip code cannot be read by the optical character reader, the operator must input the classification information. To cope with the above problem, a system was partially used in which the classification information is input by the operator using the dedicated input apparatus called a coding desk, this information is printed as a bar code. In this case, the operator must memorize the postal codes of the whole region where the postal matter is to be delivered or at least to be able to quickly find the postal code from the address of the postal matter by referring to a postal code table. Therefore, in the conventional system, it is required to train professional operators and there is the drawback that the input processing speed depends upon the degree of skill of the operator. In addition, operator fatigue is a serious problem and it is difficult to efficiently perform the inputting process.